The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the North West is demanding answers from the provincial department on why a teacher, who allegedly captured and shared a controversial image taken at Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke in the province, was suspended.

SADTU North West is highly disturbed and perplexed by allegations of racism in Schweizer Reneke Laerskool as depicted on the pictures that went viral on social media. It is our firm view that schools through its educations ethos have the role to instil values of respect, dignity, equality and tolerance for our learners.

The Union cannot be silent when there is a gross violation of rights of learners to receive equal treatment and education. Acts or practice of racism have no place in our society and cannot be tolerated 24 years into our democracy.

We welcome and applaud the manner in which the Department of Education and Sport Development has moved swiftly on the matter to put the educator on precautionary suspension and setting up a team that will further investigate these allegations.

Honorary Master

There you go, appoint principals based on colour rather than on merit .....

Agree, appoint black teachers as well BUT also on merit, and start offering/teaching local black languages as well. THAT is the real way to achieve transformation, NOT by condemning teachers who are from one race group from doing their job.

Expert Member

There you go, appoint principals based on colour rather than on merit .....

Agree, appoint black teachers as well BUT also on merit, and start offering/teaching local black languages as well. THAT is the real way to achieve transformation, NOT by condemning teachers who are from one race group from doing their job.

Honorary Master

And I thought they were the union that specialised in violating the rights of learners. They are after all at the forefront of preventing the ones most in need having access to dedicated competent teachers.

Bulls fan

In this week there have been LIES peddled against me by Solidarity. Namely:

1. That I released the teachers name
2. That I got the teacher suspended
3. and that I started the national outrage on the issue

I want to categorically state these claims are untrue and are being peddled by political opponents and people who have started to find the continued strengthening of the DA Youth as a threat. Here are the real facts behind this matter:

I reacted to a picture 4 hours after it went viral. I was hugely concerned by media reports of alleged racism at this particular school. Shortly thereafter I released a statement mandated by the party stating I would visit the school to seek answers which I did the following day and stated that the matter must be investigated and members of the community must remain calm.

To this end, both on social media and in my press statement I have made no mention of the teacher. I challenge Solidarity to come forward with the evidence in which I have made mention of the teacher and called her racist.

In a brief statement, Solidarity said it was informed on Friday, that North West Education MEC Sello Lehari, and the North West department of education would oppose the union’s urgent application for Elana Barkhuizen’s suspension to be lifted.

Solidarity served papers on Lehari, the North West department of education, Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke and its governing body.

In its application Solidarity asks the Labour Court to give a ruling as early as 24 January to the effect that Barkhuizen’s suspension is unlawful and must therefore be lifted.

Head of Labour Law Services at Solidarity Anton van der Bijl, said Barkhuizen should never have been suspended and asked that she be reinstated with immediate effect.